Is Europe Really Just Disney World for Americans?
A New York comedian’s remarks have received a mixed reaction online.
European countries are expressing their anger over mass tourism. Many have gone on record to say that their cities are not a playground for visitors. But a New York-based comedian went viral for a video last month when he insisted that the continent is Disney World for Americans and that “Europe is over.”
Dan Mahboubian Rosen posted the video with the caption, “Its ok you had a good run, time to accept your fate Europe (sic),” on TikTok. In a one-and-a-half-minute bit, the comedian talked about Europeans being mad about tourism, but without any sympathy for their plight. “You have to accept at this point that you are our Disney World now. It’s your function in this world,” he said.
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He went on to say that European economies have stagnated, and countries don’t produce anything besides the prostitution of their history and cured meats. Rosen also pointed out the colonial history of Europe, saying, “You had your fun colonizing the world, pillaging, and extracting wealth to make your nice little piazzas and palaces. Now you just have to accept that you’re museum cities.”
He added that Europeans should be grateful for tourists who contribute to their healthcare, pensions, and vacations. He called it a trade-off that Europeans get to retire early.
The video has 1.6 million views. Many called this a controversial take and several agreed with this point of view. However, others are pointing out that locals are losing their homes. One person said onInstagram: “We have enough to self-sustain and we have free education and health care. The notion that you have to produce more and more to be viable is so exacerbated capitalism.”
Related:In a Holy City Clogged by Tourism, Locals Say ‘Enough Is Enough’
Anti-tourism protests are spreading to different parts of Europe, with the Spanish rallying the loudest for better rules and regulations. In Barcelona, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands, people have been protesting for weeks and chanting fortourists to go home. There are also changes coming: the city of Barcelona is banning short-term rentals by 2028 and tourist taxes are increasing from October.
The housing crisis in Spain is outpricing locals and they are being forced out of their homes. Rents have increased 68% in the past decade and the cost of buying a house is up 38%. Local spots have become too over crowded, so much so that Google and Apple Maps removed a bus route to Park Güell–the famous park designed by Antoni Gaudi–after it became so overrun by tourists that locals could no longer use it for their commutes.
To make matters worse, tourists haven’t been exemplary in their conduct—they often flout rules and get involved in drunken brawls. And now, due to climate change, cities are also facing a series ofwater crises.
Related:8 British Tourists Arrested in Mallorca Beach Brawl
Tourism in Europe is increasing every year. The European Travel Commission expects visitors to spend$870 billion on travel this year, over 13.7% more than last year. While its progress in economic terms, for people who live with the constant onslaught of tourists, it’s a difficult position to be in.
It might seem personal to a tourist when they’re the target of a local’s anger, but they are really fighting to protect their cities. Tourism won’t completely stop—nor should it because millions depend on it—but it can’t be denied that some destinations need a breather and more sensitivity from visitors.
